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DRC: Gunfire at Makala prison.Political Prisoners asking for Amnesty

According to the Minister of Justice and human rights yesterday captured on the RTNC, it is a search to rid swords • the believe, A prison is not a mutiny. But if it had not conducted this operation, would have seen a mutiny within the next few days. She indicated that there were a few injuries that have been supported. The inhabitants of the communes of Selembao and Bumbu in the immediate vicinity of prison and re-education of Kinshasa, in acronym CPRK (former Makala) have been awakened yesterday Tuesday by gunfire who crépitaient within the prison walls. In addition to the crackling of bullets, tear gas were launched to quell an uprising by highly inmates. First indications, tension was observed yesterday morning at the prison. Dozens of elements of the Armed Forces of the DRC (FARDC) and the Police nationale congolaise deployed a few moments later to smother the beginning of clashes. Naturally, this unusual situation has created a panic fear on the part of the inhabitants of these surrounding neighborhoods, especially since it is not for the first time that this situation is found. Until 9 in the morning, tension persisted still. The entire perimeter of the penitentiary was squared. No one could access the prison or to hang out in its surroundings. Police equipped with guns and rocket launchers were the patrol outside the prison while inside, dozens of FARDC soldiers accompanied by some military officers attempted to restore order. As access inside the prison was forbidden even to the press, it was difficult to say with certainty what was the basis of this hustle and bustle of the detainees. However, sources close to the prison indicated this was a revolt by prisoners against measures taken by the new Director of the prison, colonel of FARDC of his State. Measures that violate the rights of prisoners, according to the detainees, emphasise the same sources. Other sources speak rather of a simple routine check was carried out by the police around 4 o’clock in the morning in all pavilions of the prison. They have denied that there were deaths. However, according to a foreign source, it is the transfer of 16 detainees to the military prison of Ndolo about 4 o’clock in the morning that was the straw that dropped the vase. This transfer was reportedly seen evil eye by a group of prisoners who themselves are agitated to prevent this movement. It was then that the military and the police have used force pulling shots and by launching tear gas. The same source said that no assessment yet available while others speak of dead and injured. According to some observers, it is for the second time in two weeks that an uprising of prisoners is reported to the central prison of Makala.

The Minister of Justice sets the opinion

For Wivine Mumba who intervened yesterday to the newscast of 20 hours the Rtnc to attach the opinion, it was a search conducted in the different pavilions of the former Makala to rid this prison institution of swords. It comes to knives, forks, screwdriver, Pocket knives, hammers, machetes, cuts-cuts,… that some detainees held by devers them. According to the Minister, it was not a mutiny as some languages have pointed out, but if this operation had not been undertaken there would have been a mutiny. To hear him speak, this excavation has caused discontent among inmates, reasons for which there were skirmishes that have caused some injuries and the wounded have been supported.

Many are those who wonder how these weapons were able to penetrate in prison for ending up in the hands of inmates. And this, when we know that there is a systematic search of all visitors at the entrance. Similarly, when we know that every visitor is holder of at least three tickets it should brandish everywhere, can only wonder by what magic these swords are found in this famous rehabilitation centre. If the reasons provided by the Minister of Justice and human rights are true, the city of Kinshasa will thus escaped the worst, compared to the situation experienced in Lubumbashi and Beni.

Escape attempt missed to Kasapa and massive escapes to the Beni prison

Some two to three weeks, ago to Lubumbashi Kasapa prison had lived a nourished shootout. A group of bandits not otherwise identified had tried in vain to escape the Fardc sentenced by military justice officers. But there was more fear than harm. The escape attempt had failed.